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The
list of ingredients includes additional pork fat and 14 per chicken
liver, which suggests a more accurate name would be pork, fat and
chicken liver pate with duck and port.

The Mexican dish guacomole, made from avocados, is normally enjoyed as a dip.

Which?
found that Discovery-brand Guacamole-style topping contains only 3 per
cent rehydrated avocado, but 30 per cent cream and even more water.

While
potentially misleading, the labels are not illegal, according to the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which has
responsibility for labelling.

A spokesman said: ‘There is no requirement as to what percentage of the ingredient the food must contain, solely that if it is labelled ‘crab pate’, it must list the percentage of crab in the ingredients.’

However, Which? said that was not good enough. Senior food researcher Shefalee Loth said: ‘Some food manufacturers, and even some supermarkets, take poetic licence with the naming of their products to highlight the most desirable ingredients.

‘Although this practice isn’t illegal, it is confusing to consumers. We want retailers and manufacturers to name their products clearly and accurately.’

Labelling has also been criticised in areas such as health and nutrition.

A study published by trading standards last year found that ‘lean’ or ‘extra lean’ mince sold by stores could contain more fat than the standard product.

And research by campaign group The Food Commission in 2008 identified a host of fruity products containing ingredients that had never been anywhere near a farmer’s field or orchard.

Hartley’s Strawberry Jelly boasted of having a ‘new fruitier taste’, yet it contained no strawberries. Similarly, Nesquik Strawberry Milkshake Mix had none of the fruit in it.

Barbara Gallani, of the Food and Drink Federation, said manufacturers were complying with the law.

She added: ‘Legislation requires clear labelling of all ingredients and, in some cases, of the percentage of specific ingredients.’